THE SONGS OF A NIGHTINGAIL

  Our first Halloween trick-or-treater, our son, went round dressed as a purple cow.  I found the mask first, then made the outfit to match it. J The following year he was an Indian warrior. Three years after that he was “Mr. Spock” complete with the ears. That was the year his oldest sister first went trick-or-treating as a princess. The next year saw big brother as a skeleton with eldest sister wearing the purple cow costume and younger sister pretending to be a dragon.  I made all three costumes.  The bones of the skeleton costume were cut out of iron-on material.  Eldest daughter inherited the cow costume from her brother.  Little sister never did wear it, but a cousin’s daughter did. J And here they are with their treat bags ready to be filled up!  That Halloween was a little different.  Some friends had come to visit us with their children that evening.  Unfortunately they didn’t believe in celebrating Halloween so didn’t allow their ...

1941 – I’m not sure why the family was all together here?  Included in the picture are my Aunt Ruth, my Dad, my Mom, my Granddad Bradley holding me, my Grandma B, and my Aunt Frances. 1946 – This was either a Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering of my extended family.  I’m the little girl in the blue dress.  My Mom is in the second row in the dark outfit with my Dad over her shoulder behind her.  The other three women are his sisters – one has her husband behind her, with my Grandma B just in front of him.  The other kids are my cousins.  I’m not sure why my brother wasn’t in this picture?  He was three at the time.  He must have been napping.  1953 – Easter gathering of the Bradley clan including my Grandma B, my Dad and his sisters, and a slew of cousins.  I’m in the center with my Mom on my right, my Dad behind her, my brother in front of her, and my two sisters in the first row on the right. 1961 – My parents and friends playing Pinoc...

  Our first born, a son, a day home from the hospital in 1969 In the arms of his maternal grandmother In the arms of his paternal grandmother In the arms of his papa Years later, he with his own first-born child, a son, in his own arms! J A little doll, of course, must have a perfect doll bed.  We didn’t know ahead of time if she was going to be a ‘she’ or a ‘he’, so I had to wait to decorate the bassinette until after she was born.  The only skirt I had for it was pink, however – one my Mom used on a year-size crib for my younger sisters.  Had she been a boy, the bassinette would have had blue ribbons but no skirt. Our son holding his new sister New daughter in the arms of her maternal grandmother – her first granddaughter. A couple of years later gentle signs of motherhood had not yet kicked in . . . but by the time a sweet little niece (her younger sister’s second daughter) came along in 2002 she was doing okay. Our youngest daughter in the arms of her maternal gr...

  First, the bride must find the perfect wedding dress. And she finds it! Her sisters, who will also be her bridesmaids, make rice ball favors for reception guests. At the church, the father of the bride is ready to walk his daughter down the aisle. “I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride.” The newly married couple pose with their parents including the bride’s grandmother. They pose with their attendants . . . and hurry outside to greet their guests after which they are whisked away to their wedding reception . . . where guests keep tapping their silverware against their champagne glasses forcing the bride and groom to kiss repeatedly.  J Meanwhile, hopeful mothers of the wedded couple link pinkies to wish for grandchildren. Dinner finished, it’s time to cut the wedding cake. And since it’s the bride’s father’s birthday, he gets a cake too. Then it’s time to dance. Of course the bride must toss her bouquet to hopeful single gals including the bride’s and groo...